When Budgets Are Cut, Which Programs Are the First to Go?

One-third of public schools do not have a full-time, certified librarian. Schools in affluent districts do not fire librarians and arts teachers, so those who need these services the most are most likely to have cutbacks.

“Members of the American Library Association call it a national crisis, as colleges and careers increasingly require students to have expansive digital literacy skills. Some 20 percent of public school libraries do not have any full- or part-time state-certified librarians, according to a 2013 report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

“Though physical book collections are shrinking in many districts, the role of librarians or media specialists is expanding. Along with fostering a love of reading, librarians teach students media literacy, in part how to research, analyze information and evaluate sources to determine what is accurate, says Gail Dickinson, past president of the American Association of School Librarians. Read more>>